Great holiday gifts for the handy DIY-ers in your life

The holiday season is the perfect time to ensure the handy guys and gals in your life are well-equipped for all their planned projects in the coming year -- whether that is building shelves, making home improvements or fixing up the car.

Every DIY-er needs an up-to-date, comprehensive toolbox, as damaged or dull gear can pose a safety hazard, and the wrong implement for the job can slow down work and even be dangerous to the user and anyone nearby.

When doing your gift shopping, consider opting for a few high quality tools. It can be tempting to try to save a few dollars when holiday budgets are tight, as well as add heft to a gift basket with more items, but you will be doing your gift recipient a bigger favor by investing in fewer tools that will out-perform and out-last their flimsier alternatives.

With this top of mind, here are a few gift ideas to consider:

* A durable, strong set of screwdrivers will be designed to handle the rigors of everyday use. Consider a 10-piece set of American-made professional screwdrivers. Round out the gift with a multi-bit screwdriver. Find one with a strong, grippy handle that delivers great torque and is impact-resistant. Blasted tips can be used in electronic applications.

* Give the gift of versatility with an adjustable wrench. Look for one with slim jaws for extra reach and maximum accessibility, but great jaw capacity to support larger nuts and bolts.

* Every home and garage needs a high-quality straight jaw tongue and groove plier. Look for one that has been treated to grip better, last longer and prevent rust, these tools will prove useful for years to come.

* For those whose handy projects take them places or if they spend a lot of time on different home projects indoors and outside, consider a transportable toolbox that is lightweight in structure but durable, waterproof, and lockable.

Don’t know what’s needed? Get a gift card to a hardware retailer so your gift recipient can make the right purchase. High-quality items and sets are available at your local hardware store, if you want to shop small, or at online retailers or “big box” home improvement centers.

Practical and useful tools make excellent gifts that keep on giving. With extra attention paid to making quality purchases, you can ensure they last for many years.